Doping just got a bit more expensive...

Brace yourselves, team: I've been reading the UCI rules again

Yes, this means that I have risked having my soul sucked out, just for your delight and education.

I'm so noble (*gazes heavenwards and sighs deeply in melodramatic manner*)


I wish I could find a visual representation of having your soul sucked out, so I wouldn't have to use the UCI's unlovely logo, but the internet has let me down on this one, presenting me with just this:


(*shakes self*)

Where was I? Oh yes, the UCI.

They've introduced a devious little clause into the Race Rules: it's cunningly hidden under what they call "article 364bis" which, and I quote, " from now on makes the teams responsible for the total costs generated by each doping affair"

Interesting... do they mean that all the teams have to pay a bit towards the costs - or do they mean that if a rider is investigated, then the team or teams involved have to pay???? This could make Bjarne Riis have second/third/fourth thoughts about Contador, couldn't it? At present the UCI bears all the costs of investigating, and I can barely imagine how much the Contador case must have cost so far, and is likely to cost them.

Bad new for Vinokorouv as well (*pokes big stick at Unrepentant Drug User*) as they have also introduced a whole new article (1.1.006.2 if you are interested) , the purpose of which is, and I quote, "aiming to prevent anyone found guilty of infringing the Anti-Doping Regulation during his cycling career from obtaining a licence authorising him to take on a role in cycling as a member of a team’s staff."  Ha, so there Vino, you won't be running Astana next year when you retire, then!

They do state that it won't be backdated, so the current management teams won't be affected: narrow escape for you, then, Bjarne, huh? Oh, no it isn't, he was never "done" for drugs, was he, he just admitted afterwards that he used them.

Interesting, huh?